Not applicable
Not applicable
Not applicable
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a communication system, and specifically, to a communication system integrating a plurality of wireless systems including a free-space laser system for exchanging parallel layers of wireless communications with users.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The number of organizations with high volumes of communications between locations is growing exponentially due to applications such as Internet access, file sharing, email, and video conferencing. In today""s communications environment, users subscribe to several services offered by different communications providers, each with their respective wireline communication links and/or wireless communication links.
A wireline communication link is comprised of physically tangible connection between wireline devices. Examples of wireline links include copper, aluminum, and fiber optic cabling carrying protocols such as Synchronous Optical Network (SONET), Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM), Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP), Ethernet, T1, DS3, and dense wave division multiplex fiber optic lines.
Wireless communication links propagate electromagnetic radiation over an air interface between wireless devices. Wireless links provide broadband, narrow band, fixed and portable wireless services. Examples of wireless links include personal communications service (PCS) links, millimeter wave links, code division multiple access (CDMA) links, time division multiple access (TDMA) links, spread spectrum links, microwave links, and free-space laser communication links.
Free-space lasers propagate free-space laser light over an air interface between free-space laser devices. Free-space lasers provide large bandwidths of communications within a targeted coverage area. Additionally, free-space lasers have been successfully deployed in outer space for inter-satellite communications. As a result, free-space laser circuitry is now commercially viable for ground-to-ground terrestrial communications. Unfortunately, the various wireline links, the various wireless links, and free-space laser links have not been integrated into a single communication system.
The present invention advances the art by providing a communication system that integrates multiple layers of wireless systems including a free-space laser device to provide communications to fixed, portable and mobile customer sites. Advantageously, the present communication system integrates a plurality of radio frequency wireless devices and free-space laser devices into an efficient homogeneous architectural integration having multiple layers of wireless communications. Some examples of wireless access services provided include but are not limited to broadband, narrow band, fixed, mobile and portable services. The present communication system increases efficiency and leverages combined use of network assets by managing high volumes of communications over the most appropriate layer based on invoked customer service demand, cost and criticality of the traffic. Advantageously, downtime of mission critical traffic is minimized while cost efficiency and throughput performances are maximized. Additionally, the wireless layers are configured into a cell structure with each cell containing layers topologically designed with systems appropriate for different geographic and demographic service objectives and includes a wireless system for the interconnection of the cell cites within the cell structure. Services provided by the present communication system include but are not limited to, voice telephony, data services, video, email services, messaging, Intranet/Entranets/Extranets, content and information services, multimedia, video, email and electronic commerce.
The communication system comprises a first communication node, connected to a second communication node by a wireline. The first communication node comprises a free-space laser device, a first wireless system, and a first wireline device. The free space laser device is configured to receive and transmit free-space laser signals, to receive and transmit first inter-node signals, and to convert between the free-space laser signals and the first inter-node signals. The first wireless system is configured to receive and transmit first wireless signals, to receive and transmit second inter-node signals, and to convert between the first wireless signals and the second inter-node signals. The first wireline device is configured to exchange the first inter-node signals with the free-space laser device, to exchange the second inter-node signals with the first wireless system, to convert between the first inter-node signals and first wireline signals, to convert between the second inter-node signals and the first wireline signals, and to exchange the first wireline signals with a wireline.
The second communication node comprises a second wireless system and a second wireline device. The second wireless system is configured to receive and transmit second wireless signals, to receive and transmit third inter-node signals, and to convert between the second wireless signals and the third inter-node signals. The wireline device is configured to exchange the third inter-node signals with the second wireless system, to convert between the third inter-node signals and second wireline signals, and to exchange the second wireline signals with the wireline.